One of my favorite destinations to talk about is Alaska but there is a lot to know. I thought I would pick the top 4 things you must know when planning your Alaska cruise vacation.
1 Book Early Alaska is a very popular cruise destinations and despite there being a wide variety of options, booking early gets you the best price and availability. Most of the time, booking by October the prior year is great timing but you can sometimes book up to a year in advance. 
2 Take the land tour
All of the cruise lines offer some form of a land tour along with their cruise options. Usually these are referred to as Cruise Tours. These tours will take into Denali National Park, to Fairbanks or even offer tours that take you out to Katmai and to the Klondike. Tours range from 2 to 10 days and can be experienced before the cruise on a southbound route or after cruise on a northbound route. The tour will usually consist of either motorcoach or rail from or to the ship, accommodations including beautiful lodges in Denali as well as tours. If you have the option, take a tour that offers the rail and enjoy domed rail cars so you don't miss a thing. 
3 Choose a Balcony
If the price fits your budget or even is close, choose to sail in a balcony. When you are sailing through Glacier Bay and you can sit on your private balcony, it takes the experience up ten fold. Have a cup of coffee while you keep an eye out for whales or a nice adult beverage while enjoying the scenery. Depending on the ship, often the price of the balcony is not much higher than the ocean view.
4 Shore Excursions
When you arrive in port you will have so many choices in what to do. You can walk off the ship and explore the towns like Skagway or Ketchikan but in addition to that, considering taking an excursion. Excursion offerings include a helicopter ride to a glacier where you can experience dog sledding and hang out with sled dogs or experience a salmon bake where you catch the fish. One of the most popular tour is in Skagway where you take the Klondike Railway along the route the men took during the Alaska Gold Rush.
Alaska is for sure a destination that should be on your bucket list. For assistance in planning your Alaska Cruise Vacation, email me at [email protected] or call 904-534-4318.
Michael Miller
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